Saturday, December 3, 2016

Telegraph: Europe holds its breath as Italy heads to the polls for critical referendum - "Mr Renzi, once likened to an Italian Tony Blair" - Good God, no wonder the Italians are rebelling. --tma

Locardi

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But regional analysts warned that in the current febrile political climate caused by Brexit and the election of Donald Trump in America, a defeat for Mr Renzi will not be viewed as an Italy-only problem, but a further indication that Europe is at risk of being engulfed in a populist downward spiral.

“If Renzi's referendum fails, it will be seen as another symbolic victory for the populists that portends greater risk for other states and the EU,” said Mujtaba Rahman, head of Europe practice at the Eurasia Group risk consultancy. ...